Processing and dehydrating apparatus



March 27, 192& 1,664,018

L. H. BIEN PROCESSING AND DEHYDRATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4.. 1926 INVENTOR.

BY W, 2 M

v A TTORNEYS. v

Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

" LOUIS H: BIEN, 'OF'PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.

"rnoonssnvo AND DEHYDRATING APPARATUS.

uapplication filed November 1,; 1926. .Serial No. 146,085.

-This invention relates to an apparatus whereby fruits, vegetables and other prod- ;ucts may be processed and dehydrated by thevaction of humid air, heatand dehydration.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of a device of-the character described; toprovide an apparatus in=which blowers, ,fansor other air circulating and reversing mechanismsmaybe en: tirely eliminated by moving the product to betreated at a suflicient velocity to create :air circulation and'by intermittently reversing the movement and further and more specifically to provide a rotating support for the'product to bertreated, with means for automatically reversing a crate at predetermined time intervals.

One form which the invention, may assume. isshown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings in which t Figurevlzis a planview of the apparatus SQlClQVlGlV .being partly; broken away and shown in section tQCllSClOSB the interiorconstruction,

Figure 2 is a'centralavertioal cross-section taken on theline ILAII of Figure 1. Referring tothe drawings, in detail, A indicates a substantially cylindrical-shaped housingsupportedby concrete or other'suitable foundation, generally indicated at B. The housing is covered by a roof section C andthis is providedwith a stack 2, the function of-whichqwillhereinafter be described. T l Referring to Figure 2, it will benoted that the roof section-is extended a considerable distancebeyond the cylinder wallA and that arrsecondwall 3 is employed. I ThisWall forms: an annular passage through, which warmvair is delivered tothednterior. of the housing. Mounted on a shelf or platform 4 are a plurality ofheaters 5. ;Any suitable type of heater. may be employed such as ordinary coal-oil heaters, as heaters or the i like. The heat produced naturally tends to rise and is prevented from escape by the overhanging roofsection C. -The heat enters an annularpassage 6 formedbetwecn the-wall sections A and 3 and passes downwardly through this passage and enters the lowertportion of the processing or dehydrating chamber D through a substantially annularinlet opening 7 overiwhich is placed a bafiie plate 8.

Formed centrally of the chamberD isa pit-E and covering the pit is a turn-table 9." This turn-table is provided with stack sections indicated at 10 and 11 and trucks 12 are adapted to bo re'ceivedthereby, the

truclrsserving the function ofenteringfthe' product to be treated and vremoving the same and also that of supporting; the product while it] is, being treated. A The turn-table; is supported at its outer end by means of anticfriction; bearings,;such as indicated at .14 and itis rotated through means of a centralshaft 15, a reduction worm gear tdrivevld and an electric motor 17. Areversing-svvitchj 18 is connected-With the motor and ahandle 19 connected therewith automatically throws the switch from one position I to another,

when the device is in operation.- The actuat-t ing mechanism or lever 19 of the-reversing switch is so controlled that; the turn-table will -for instance, rotate agiven number of revolutions :in one direction; and Will then be reversed and rotated asimilar number treatedone side ofcthehousing is extended and iindicated atF.. Doors Gare provided atthispoint to open and close the chamber Y and :str acks :10? extend: into the housing so, that-the-track sections 10 and-1L may aligntherewith whensthe; product isto be inserted or removed "A simple method :of

handling a productfis thus provided,;as the product can t be loaded ion trucks, exterior of thehousing, and are easily :run into or, OlltaOf the i housingion the tracks vprovided.

- :One ;on:mO're peek-hole .openingslsuch .as

indicated at 20 may be employedto observe a standard forms ,of thermometervv such. as ,in

dicatedat 21 and thet'heat within, thechamber Diwill be observed by the operator from 7 time to; time.-;; In order to' maintain the temperature as desired a thermostat 22 maybe employed. -,This -isconnected with a damper 23 and a stack and automatically opens. and

closes the same and, thus-v maintains the desired temperature.

versed and rotated in the opposite direction.

This intermittent rotation and reverse is alternately repeated until the treatment of the product is completed. The speed of rotation should be suchthat the atmosphere circulates freely between the trays and the I product is thus heated or processed and also dehydrated.

The temperature employed is regulated by the thermostat 22 and the humidity content may be regulated by inserting a greater or smaller number of evaporating pans such as indicated at 24. It should be understood that a fairly high humidity is desired, as

this has been found more efiicient both for processing and dehydrating purposes. A uniform product 1s obtained, for instance, when dehydrating, as the reversal of the rotating support causes the air to circulate between the trays first in one direction and then in another. This air is, of course, also circulating upwardly through the chamberand as it is delivered at a point just below the trucks, the heat is uniformly and efficiently applied.

The apparatus is exceedingly simple and substantial in construction and will take care of practically any capacity required as it is merely necessary to increase the diameter of the housing to permit increase in capacity.

While certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted towithin the scope of the appended claims. Similarly that the materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide or varying conditions or uses may demand.

'- Having thus descrlbed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a V 1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a substantially cylindrical-shaped vertically disposed wall, a roof section, supported thereby and extending a considerable distance over'the' vertical wall, a second vertical wall interspaced withrelation to the first wall and forming an air inlet passage, a plurality of heaters supported with relation to the upper end of said inlet passage, said heatersbeing covered by the roof section and said roof sections slanting to direct heat into the upper end of the passage, means for directing air from the lower end of said passage into the housing, a stack connected with the roof and forming an outlet for the heatedair, means in the stack for maintaining a predetermined temperature within the housing.

2. An apparatus of the character de scribed, comprising a substantially cylindrical-shaped vertically disposed wall, a roof section supported thereby and "extending a considerable distance over the vertical wall, a second vertical wall interspaced with relation to the first wall and forming an air inlet passage, a plurality of heaters supported with relation to the upper .end of said inlet passage, said heatersbeing covered by the roof section and said roof sections slanting to direct heat into the upper end of the passage, means for directing air. from the lower end of said passage intothe housing, a stack connected with the roof and forming an outlet for the heated air, means in the stack for maintaining a predetermined temperature within the housing,means for regulating the humidity of the air entering the housing and a rotatable support within the,

heated air between the walls, said first vertical wall having openings adjacent the bottom thereof whereby heated air may pass within the enclosure, said enclosure being formed with an outlet at its top to permit 7 the escape for the heated air. 7

4. An apparatus "of the character described comprising a vertically arranged wall'forming an enclosure, a roof section supported by said wall andoverhanging the same, a second vertical wall arranged exteriorly of the first-named wall and spaced therefrom, said second vertical wall being disposed beneath the overhanging roof and extending short thereof forming an air inlet passage, heating means adapted to deliver heated air between the walls, said first vertical wall having openings adjacent the bottom thereof whereby heated air may pass within the enclosure, said enclosure being formed with an outlet atits' top to permit the escape for the'heated air, a rotatable 

